Brag
05-04-07, 01:11 PM
The story from the beginning is at: http://www.freewebs.com/kielman/ (http://www.freewebs.com/kielman/)
Vortex Episode 6
Episode 6
A series of short blasts of the Cordova's horn joined the bedlam on deck. French and British passengers cheered. Goss climbed to the boat deck, which was empty of people. From there, he watched a plume of smoke raising above the horizon. The image of the German sailors disembarking from the tugs and being herded like cattle into trucks would not leave his mind. A knot formed in his throat. His gaze locked on the distant smoke, he murmured, "I will avenge this dishonor imposed on the German people." It surprised him how very German he felt.
Shortly after dark, with the ship's orchestra playing La Marseillaise, the Cordova headed out to sea. From the darkness of the boat deck Goss kept watching the glow of the fire below the horizon. A shadow drew his attention. Through his glasses he recognized the silhouette of the cruiser Ajax. It was difficult to understand how the Brits managed to approach the German pocket battleship without getting blown out of the water.
Surprisingly, he didn't feel animosity toward the Brits. They were good sailors. He owed his own proficiency as a submarine officer to his training at Gosport. He still had fond memories of his time in England.
#
"We had a jolly good party last night. I didn't see you there. Drinks were on the captain," Dumbo Parks stood by the dining room door, smoking a pipe.
"I'm not used to the heat," Goss answered truthfully.
"With all the excitement we had yesterday, I forgot to ask you how far are you going?"
"Marseilles."
"Jolly good. We'll be shipmates for a fortnight. Bloody war makes travel rather awkward."
Goss took a step to bypass Parks, but Parks grabbed him the jacket sleeve. "Join me for an aperitif. Being on a French vessel a Ricard would be de rigueur. Don't you think? Le vrai pastis de Marseille."
"Never had one."
"Mon vieux, we shall correct that immediately." Parks dragged Goss by the arm into the second class bar.
Goss tried to think of some excuse to avoid spending time with the Englishman. Two weeks of questioning would surely reveal Goss' cover story as a weak fabrication and lead to his arrest the moment he stepped on French soil. Hell, he was already on French territory.
The Ricard, mixed with water was somewhat similar to Aniz del Mono and removed the sour taste Goss had in his mouth since the previous day.
"I didn't expect to find whalers in Marseilles," Parks said, leaning on the bar counter."
"I never said I was picking my ship there."
"Oh, dear. I'm always jumping to conclusions."
Goss made chuckling noises, hoping the sounded believable. "Like you, I'm going on a roundabout route. I'm picking up my ship in Genoa."
"And then, where do you go?"
"Probably the south Atlantic--off the coast of Namibia, I would expect."
"Most interesting, most interesting."
Goss was sure Parker didn't believe a word a word he said.
Vortex Episode 6
Episode 6
A series of short blasts of the Cordova's horn joined the bedlam on deck. French and British passengers cheered. Goss climbed to the boat deck, which was empty of people. From there, he watched a plume of smoke raising above the horizon. The image of the German sailors disembarking from the tugs and being herded like cattle into trucks would not leave his mind. A knot formed in his throat. His gaze locked on the distant smoke, he murmured, "I will avenge this dishonor imposed on the German people." It surprised him how very German he felt.
Shortly after dark, with the ship's orchestra playing La Marseillaise, the Cordova headed out to sea. From the darkness of the boat deck Goss kept watching the glow of the fire below the horizon. A shadow drew his attention. Through his glasses he recognized the silhouette of the cruiser Ajax. It was difficult to understand how the Brits managed to approach the German pocket battleship without getting blown out of the water.
Surprisingly, he didn't feel animosity toward the Brits. They were good sailors. He owed his own proficiency as a submarine officer to his training at Gosport. He still had fond memories of his time in England.
#
"We had a jolly good party last night. I didn't see you there. Drinks were on the captain," Dumbo Parks stood by the dining room door, smoking a pipe.
"I'm not used to the heat," Goss answered truthfully.
"With all the excitement we had yesterday, I forgot to ask you how far are you going?"
"Marseilles."
"Jolly good. We'll be shipmates for a fortnight. Bloody war makes travel rather awkward."
Goss took a step to bypass Parks, but Parks grabbed him the jacket sleeve. "Join me for an aperitif. Being on a French vessel a Ricard would be de rigueur. Don't you think? Le vrai pastis de Marseille."
"Never had one."
"Mon vieux, we shall correct that immediately." Parks dragged Goss by the arm into the second class bar.
Goss tried to think of some excuse to avoid spending time with the Englishman. Two weeks of questioning would surely reveal Goss' cover story as a weak fabrication and lead to his arrest the moment he stepped on French soil. Hell, he was already on French territory.
The Ricard, mixed with water was somewhat similar to Aniz del Mono and removed the sour taste Goss had in his mouth since the previous day.
"I didn't expect to find whalers in Marseilles," Parks said, leaning on the bar counter."
"I never said I was picking my ship there."
"Oh, dear. I'm always jumping to conclusions."
Goss made chuckling noises, hoping the sounded believable. "Like you, I'm going on a roundabout route. I'm picking up my ship in Genoa."
"And then, where do you go?"
"Probably the south Atlantic--off the coast of Namibia, I would expect."
"Most interesting, most interesting."
Goss was sure Parker didn't believe a word a word he said.